Train-alarm.



No. 642,303. Pacented 1an. 30,1900. H. DE WALLACE.

TRAIN ALARM.

(Application filed May 28, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

E mDmuJJI No. 002,303. Patented 1an. 30, |000.

vH. 0E WALLACE.

TRAIN ALARM.

(Application filed May 28, 1897.)

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No. 042,303. Patented Jan. 30, |900.

H. DE WALLACE.

TRAIN ALARM.

(Application-filed May 2B, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

` Patented Jan. 30, |900.

H. DE WALLACE.

TRAIN ALARM.

(Application led May 2B, 1897.) l (No Model.) 4 Streets-Sheet 4.

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iUnrrnn STATES HARRY DE VALLACE, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

TRAIN-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N O. 642,303, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed May 28,1897.

To @ZZ whom it ntf/.U concern:

13e it known that I, HARRY DE WALLACE, of St. Paul, Ramsey county, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in train-alarms designed especially for use upon locomotives to automatically give a signal or sound an alarm to indicate that the train has arrived at a given point and thereby to serve as a reminder to the engineer of orders received by him to be executed at such point.

The present invention is designed as an addition to and improvement upon the device shown and described in Letters Patent No. 623,503, issued to me April 18,1899, upon an application, Serial No. 609,319, tiled October 19, 1896.

The particular object of the present in vention is to provide an absolutely reliable and automatic engineers alarm, to adapt the same for use with the engine running in either direction, to provide means for throwing the alarm out of connection and operation, to adapt the device for use upon any one of several engines, to adapt the alarm to set the airbrakes in case the alarm is not heeded, and generally to simplify the construction of the device and render it more durable.

The invention consists generally in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a view of the face or front of the machine with a portion of the bell broken away to more clearlyshow the swiveled triggers. Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken from Fig. 2, showing the action of the trigger which results in the connection of the bell ringing mechanism to the constantly-rotating shaft. Fig. 4t is a section of the machine substantially on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail taken from Fig. 4 and showing the worm disengaged from the hand-operating worm-wheel. Fig. 6 is a de- Serial No. 638,501. (No model-l tailed view showing the air-brake valve and the means for opening the same after a delinite distance has been run without attention on the part of the engineer. Fig. 7 illustrates the connections of the driving-shafts of the device to the truckavheel of the locomotive, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 7.

The main features and principles of the alarm or indicator shown in my prior application above referred to are contained in this present device; but the latter differs from the first in several important features, a few of which are the means for adjusting the handdriving mechanism to any-sizeddriving-wheel or truck-wheel upon a locomotive or car, the means for setting brakes automatically if the alarm is not heeded and stopped, the means for setting the hand without regard to the remaining parts of the mechanism, the construction and arrangement of the triggers, whereby theyare rendered more reliable and durable, and the means for controlling the direction 0f movement of the hand in running backward and forward.

In the drawings, 2 indicates a constantlyrunning shaft having a beveled gear 3 at its inner or lower end driven by a beveled gear 4 on the shaft which shaft is positively connected to the shaft 6 (shown in Figs. 7 and 8) and is driven by a preferably elastic' belt 7, extending over pulleys upon said shaft and the truck-axle- The shaft 2 of the alarm rotates in the long bearing 10, which is secured to the back plate 11 and has its upper part finished to serve as a shaft or bearing for the hub or sleeve 12 of the hand-operating wormwheel 13, which wheel is driven by a reduction-gear from the shaft 5.

14 is the hand, secured to the outer end of the sleeve 12.

15 is a suitably-supported face-plate or front, and the space between the plates 11 and 15 is preferably inclosed by end and side walls 16 to keep dust from the gears. The plate 15 bears the large dial 17, upon which the hand 14 revolves. The handis provided with a pointer 1S and on its under side has a roller 19 to save friction upon the dial. The small dial 2O is provided with a notched or serrated edge 2l, each notch 22 therein in IOO dicating a mile. The small dial is fastened securely to the uppervend of the stationary shaft or bearing 10. The shaft2 extends up through the bearing 10 and the dial 2O and on its outer end carries the bell 23, which may rotate constantly with the shaft 2. The bell-ringing hammers 24 are normally stopped and held against rotation, and it is only when one of the triggers is released by the action of the hand that the hammers 24 .are operated, being then connected with the shaft 2. The rotating hammers 24 are supported upon a stud 25 upon the stationary ring 26, supported by narrow legs 27, extending from the face of the dial 2O and in such position that they will not interfere with the swinging of the triggers. The rotating hammers are provided with a pinion 28, meshing with a large gear-wheel 29 Within the bell and loosely j ournaled upon the shaft 2. This gear-wheel is adapted to be connected to the said shaft 2 by the clutch 30, which is longitudinally movable upon the shaft, so that it may be disengaged from the gear 29. The clutch rotates with the shaft, being held by a pin 3l, eX- tending through a slot in the shaft and by means of which also the clutch may be drawn out, the pin being connected with a draw-pin 32, having a button 33 on its head and normally pressed in by a spring 34. To hold the clutch out of engagement, I provide a bellcrank dog 35 within the shaft 2 and having an end 36 to snap in under the clutch when it is drawn out. The other arm of the bellcrank extends through the side of the shaft 2 into position to be engaged by thehub or boss 37 upon the disk 38, which is longitudinally movable on the shaft 2, butis normally held back by a spring or springs 39. The triggers when they are set are disengaged or released by the moving hand 14 when it reaches them, and the disk 38 is adapted to be operated-that is, moved longitudinally on the shaft-by any one of the triggers, being common to all of them. Hence when a trigger flies back the clutch will be freed, will engage the gear-wheel, and the hammers will be rotated to ring the bell loudly. Each trigger comprises a plate 40, having a perpendicular end 41, provided with a slot for the trigger-rod 42. The plate 40 is at its inner end secured to the dial 20 bya screw or pivot 43, so that the trigger is capable of a limited adjustment upon the edge of the dial. At the outer end of the trigger-arm is a T-head 44, provided with an upwardly-turned button 45, by means of which the trigger may be easily drawn out. The opposite arm of the T is provided with a V-shaped portion 46 to fit in the V-notches 22 in the edge of the dial. When the trigger is drawn out, it is thus secured in position until the arrival'of the hand, which has a cam or incline 47, which engages the lower endof the T head of the trigger and forces the same out of engagement with the edge of the dial. At this time the trigger will be shot back by a spring 48, arranged between the end 41 of the swivel-plate and a pin or' shoulder 50 upon the trigger-rod 42.

5l is a small cam-lever pivoted in ears 52 on the plate 40 and intermediately pivoted to the end of the rod 42. This lever will be thrown back with the trigger and its free end will strike and force out the common plate or disk 38. To save friction and wear, I preferably provide a small friction-roller 53 in the free end of the lever 51. The relative positions of the trigger when set and when released are indicated in the positions of the two triggers shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 I have shown all of the parts in the positions which they assume at the instant a trigger is released to throw up the disk 38 and bring the bell-ringing mechanism into action.

In addition to operating the bell-hammers the gear-wheel 29 has a further functionnamely, that of operating the mechanism for releasing the air and setting the air-brakes. The'essential elements of this mechanism comprise a shaft 55, driven by a suitable gear connection 56' with the gear-wheel 29, a worm 57 on said shaft 55, and a lever 56, the movement of which is controlled by said worm and by means of which in turn the air-valve 57 is opened and closed. The lever 56 is drawn forward by a spring 58. Any means may be provided'to restore the lever. The lever is provided with a pawl 59 to engage the thread of the worm and which is permitted to move forward by the rotation of the worm. The pawl 59 yields to pass the threads of the worm when the lever is restored. The air-valve 57 in the air-brake pipe 60 may be of any desired form and preferably has an arm 6l to be engaged by an arm 62 of the lever 56, said lever being preferably in the form of a bellcrank. When the valve is opened, the air escapes through the pipe, and the brakes of the locomotive and train will be automatically set. The arrangement of the valve-arm, the lever 56, and the worm 57 is such that the valve remains partially or wholly closed so long as the lever is in engagement with the worm and is opened wide at the instant the lever is freed from the worm. The object of this device is lto give the engineer time in which to notice the indications, to which his attention is called by the ringing of the bell, and restore the clutch 30 to stop the ringing of the bell; but if such attention is not given to the device for any reason then at the end of a given time, or after the train has run a given distance, to set the brakes and automatically stop the train within a safe limit. It is necessary that the driving parts of the alarm or indicator shall be adjustable to driving-wheels of various sizes in order that the device may be constructed and installed upon any locomotive at a low cost. The truck-wheels and driving-wheels of locomoA tives and cars vary in size and will therefore make a differentA number of revolutions in running a given distance, while the hand IOO IIO

of the alarm must necessarily accurately measure and indicate each mile traveled. To compensate for the difference in the diameters of different drivin g-Wheels, such as the truck- Wheels of the locomotive or trailing wheels, which may be used, I provide an adjustable reduction-gear between the hand-operating Worm-Wheel and the main shaft 5. This part of the mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. In said figures, 63 represents a friction-disk having its face parallel with the shaft 5 and engaging a friction-pulley 64 on the shaft 5. This friction-p ulley has a rubber ring for its face, which engages the disk 63.

65 G5 are extra rubber rings placed on the shafts for convenience to be used when the one on the pulley becomes Worn.

The pulley 64. is secured to the shaft 5 bya key 66 and is slidable thereon and across the face of friction-disk It may be thus moved by means of the sliding yoke G7, arranged on the bar 68 and operated by means of the threaded shaft 69, which extends through the end of the casing or body of the device and is provided with a square end 70 to receive a suitable key used by the engineer. The friction-disk 33 is on the shaft 7l, which is slidable in bearings 72 and is pressed toward the friction-pulley 64 by a spring 73, the pressure of which may be adjusted by a screw 74. The shaft 7l carries a Worm 75 to mesh With the worm-Wheel 7 6 upon a shaft 77, which is parallel with the shaft 5, and the shaft 77 is in turn provided with a Worm 7 8, which meshes with the hand-operating Worm Wheel or gear 13. In this Way While the shaft 2 and the bell mechanism rotate With considerable speed the speed of the hand in traveling over the dial is reduced to very slon7 movement, which is absolutely positive. In order to permit the adjustment of the hand irrespective of the operating mechanism, I arrange to disengage the Worm 78 from the hand-operating Worm-wheel. I accomplish this by swivelin g one end of the shaft 77 in the bearing 79 and arranging the other bearing 8O upon a shifting bar 8l, pivoted at S2.

S3 is a limiting-strap for the bar 8l. The Worm is normally held in engagement with the hand-operating Worm-Wheel by a spring 84C and is disengaged therefrom by the partial rotation of the thumb or key shaft S5, having a thumb-Wheel 86 upon the upper part of the face of the device. (See Figs. l and 2.) To insure the set of the worm in the teeth of the hand-operating worm-Wheel 13, I use V-shaped threads and teeth upon the Worm and wheel, respectively. This insures the accurate setting or centering of t-he hand at zero or other point of starting.

It is sometimes necessary to run a locomotive or train back over the line for a considerable distance and during which time the engineer may receive or have several orders to stop or to meet other trains. In order that the hand may have the same direction of movement at such times as at other times, and thus prevent the confusion of the engineer, it is necessary to shift the friction-pulley G4. to the opposite side of the friction-disk 63,and unless ihe exact position of the friction-pulley with respect to the center of the friction-disk is maintained the hand will not record the distances accurately. I therefore provide a small indicator 87 on the face of the machine, placing zero at the middle thereof, and provide a pointer 88, operating through a slot 89 in the face-plate and connected in any suitable manner to the sliding yoke 67 of the friction-pulley, as shown in Fig. 4L. Before turning the shaft 69 to move the yoke the engineer Will note the exact position of the pointer upon the scale 87 and Will then use his key and move the same to the corresponding point on the opposite side of the scale.

The two dials of the machine together bear graduations or marks for a two-hundred mile run, the triggers being set upon the small dial to indicate positions upon either dial. The graduations upon the dials are preferably divided into groups as Well as being marked With iigures indicating miles. The face of the machine or device is provided with a cardholder 90 to receive a card 91, which bears the names of the stations or stops in order, the stations being arranged in reverse order on opposite sides or faces of the card and the card being turned over when the return run is begun. The numberof miles that each station is distant from the starting-point is printed in a column opposite the station named, and in a second column are the letters indicating in which group upon the dials the particular mile-graduations Will be found.

NVhile I have shown, described, and claimed the dials as stationary and the hand or pointer as movable, the reversal of this arrangement would be an obvious mechanical equivalent therefor, and I therefore desire it to be understood that the dials may be made movable and the hand stationary Without departing from my invention.

Believing that the operation of my device will be fully understood from the foregoing further special explanation thereof is regarded as unnecessary.

It is obvious that many of the details of construction of the device may be varied without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, with a locomotive-engine or car, and the running-gear thereof, of a signal device, its actuating mechanism, and an adjustable reduction-gear interposed between the running-gear of said car or engine and the signal-actuating mechanism.

2. The combination, with a locomotive-engine or car, and the running-gear thereof, of a signal device, its actuating mechanism, and a friction reduction-gear interposed between the running-gear of said car or engine and the signal-actuating mechanism.

IOO

IIO

3. The combination, with a locomotive-engine or car, and the running-gear thereof, of a signal device, its actuating mechanism, a friction-disk and an adjustable friction-pulley interposed between the running-gear of said car or engine and the signal-actuating mechanism.

4. The combination, with a suitable dial or scale, of a hand, a driving-shaft, and a shifting friction-gear arranged between said shaft and said hand, whereby the hand may be driven in either direction, substantially as.

described.

5. The combination, with a dial or scale, of a movable hand, a gear-Wheel connected therewith, a worm to mesh with said gear, means for driving said worm, and means for moving` said Worm out of engagement with said gear, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a dial or scale,

and a hand, of a worm-wheel, a worm engaging the same, a driving-shaft, a friction-wheel, a friction-pulley arranged upon said drivingshaft to drive the friction-wheel, and means connecting said worm and said friction-wheel substantially as described. 7. In a train-alarm, the combination with a dial or scale, of a movable hand, a drivingshaft, provided with a friction-wheel, a friction-disk to engage therewith, a pressure device provided in connection with said frictiondisk, and suitable means connecting said friction-disk with said hand, substantially as described.

8. The combination,with the driving-shaft, of the friction-Wheel arranged thereon, the yoke for shifting said friction-wheel, means for moving the same, an indicator provided in connection therewith, the friction-disk and the hand to be driven thereby, substantially as described.

9. In a train-alarm, the combination, with the dial and the hand, of a second dial, a central support therefor, means for driving said hand about said support, a shaft having its bearing in said central support, and a signal or like mechanism connected with said shaft, substantially as described.

lO. The combination, with the drivingshaft, of the shaft 2, the means connecting said shafts, the bearing for the shaft 2, the dial secured to said bearing and the hand and hand-operatin g worm-wheel adapted to rotate about said bearing,substantially as described.

11.. The combination, with a clutch-disk 38, and a mechanism rendered operative by the action thereof, of a trigger or dog, provided with a cam-lever adapted to swing into and out of contact with the face of said disk, and means fory actuating said lever at a `predetermined moment, substantially as described.

12. The combinatiomwith the dial, of the dog or trigger comprising a spring-rod having at one end a pivoted lever and at the other a head or cross portion to be engaged with said dial, anda clutch plate or disk to be operated by said lever, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the dial and the hand, of a series of dogs or triggers arranged upon said dial, each of said dogs comprising a spring-rod, a pivoted lever to Wliich'the inner end of said rod is pivoted, and a cross or T head on the outer end of said rod to be engaged with said dial and to be disengaged therefrom by said hand, and a clutch-disk to be actuated by either of said levers and freed therefrom by the final movement thereof, substantially as described.

14. The dog or trigger for actuating the clutch or like part of the train alarm or indicater, and comprising a pivoted or swiveled plate, a lever -pivoted thereon, a spring-rod intermediately pivoted upon said lever, and means for drawing up and securing said rod, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with the dial, of the shaft 2, the bell, the gear upon said shaft to be engaged therewith, the hammers to be operated by said gear, the ring supporting said hammers, the narrow legs 27 supporting said ring, and the swivel-triggers arranged upon said dial, and whereby said gear is connected with. said shaft, substantially as described.

16. In a train-alarm, the combination, with a signal to operate automatically at a given instant, of the air-brake valve and means for operating the same automatically, after the lapse of a given time from the operation of said signal, substantially as described.

17. In a train-alarm, the combination, with.

a part to be operated at a predetermined instant, of a mechanism then thrown into operation, means for stopping said operation, an air-brake device and means whereby the same is automatically operated, if the operation of said mechanism is not stopped within a certain time or space, substantially as described.

18. The combination, in a train alarm or indicator, of a series of triggers to be set and to be released at predetermined moments, with a signal device common to all of said triggers, and adapted to be operated upon the release of any one thereof, an air-brake device and means for automatically operating the same, in connection with the sign al, substantially as described.

19. The combination, in a train alarm or indicator, of a series of triggers to be set and to be released at predetermined moments, with a signal device common to all of said triggers, and adapted to be operated upon the release of any one thereof, and to operate continuously until stopped and an air-brake mechanism which will operate automatically unless said signal or alarm is stopped within a certain time or space, substantially as described.

20. The combination, in a train alarm or indicator, of a continuously-rotating shaft, a part to be engaged therewith at a predetermined instant, and adapted to operate a sig- IOO IIO

n al and set the airbrales, substantially as described.

2l. In a train alarm or indicator, the combination with a part to be operated at a predetermined moment, of an air-brake device normally held by said part, but freed therefrom by the operation thereof, substantially as described.

22. The combination, in a train alarm or indicator, with a Worm, of an air-valve and an air-valve lever, normally held in engagement with said Worm but freed therefrom by the rotation of the Worin, to operate said valve, substantially as described.

23. The combination, with the Worm 57, of the lever provided with a pawl to engage said Worm during the forward movement of the lever, but to be disengaged therefrom during the return of the lever, and an air-brake valve operated by said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of May, A. D. 1897.

HARRY DE WALLACE.

In presence of C. G. HAWLEY, A. F. HOLMES. 

